Dental plate



Nov. 15, 1932- L. 'M VALBUENA 1,887,970

DENTAL PLATE Filed Jan. 9. 1951 lNVENTOR BY hs TToR Patented Nov. 15,1932 LUIs Nr. vAnBUENA, or NEW YORK, N.V Y.

DENTAL PLATEV Application led January 9, 1931.

This invention relates to an improvement in dental plates,

ing preferably artificial the embodiment thereof beassociated with thetype of denture having a relatively small lholding or seating surface.

I am aware that dental plates heretofore have been `constructed toinclude asuitable suction chamber and a means for creating andmainta-iningva 'loto hold the plate mouth.

vacuum therein in order against the walls of the The disadvantages ofsuch a construction are that the soft tissue of the mouth is therebydrawn into corresponding the soft tissue the vacuum chamber anddistorted from its normal form to take a shape to the suction chamber,that within the chamber prevents an even distribution of the Vsuction orholding effort and that the plate, being maintained by the surface ofthe tissue alone, isnot positioned with su from shifting crosswise inthe lfcient rigidity to prevent it mouth during use, causingconsiderable discomfitnre to the wearer. The

fore, is

to obviate the primary to provide a dental object of my invention,thereplate construction above disadvantages.`

In accomplishing this feature of the invention provision is made foroporting projections located Within the suction or vacuum chamber of thedental plate and which are shape of the mouth. The tips of the adaptedto conform with the corresponding tissue of the supporting projec- '35tions are therefore made to conform with the soft tissue is not drawn'need be given to the portion of the they are to lit.

tance into the mouth tissue against which In this manner the gum or anyappreciable dissuction chamber.

VA further object is to provide a novel valve construction which willpermit the creation of the desired vacuum chamb the same so t negativepressure Within the er and prevent air leakage to hat practicallyv noattention plate by the wearer after its installation.

My invention further includes other objects, advantages and novelfeatures of construction herei ferred to and nafter more particularlyvrewhich will be apparent from plurality of'supture of tipsurface, beingadapted to fit and the tips of -denture being constructed.

' Serial No. 507,541.

Y o plate -as illusplate is indicated at 10,the outer portion of thesame being' shaped in the usual manner 65 lto conformwith the dentalarch and irregularities of the mouth of t-he person to be fitted. ThetaperingV inner sides of the body of the plate are :indicated Yat ll'and12, the same defining with the lower surface of the plate 13 an openchamber 14, whichextends sub- --stantially about the entire upperportion of the denture, and into which the tissue of the mouth fits.Extending from the base or bot- Y tom portion of the chamber 14 lare a.plurality 75 vof supporting projections as indicated atl,

the same being preferably included as an integral rigidportion of thebody ofthe plate.

The projections vary inheight `and curvaagainst agivenportion of themouth to maintain the same therein in a natural manner. For purposes ofillustration the projections are shownin a circular form thesamearecurved, asin- '85 dicated at 16, to fulll the requirements of theinstant case, although obviously the shape or'structural form of therespective projections may be varied without departing from the natureand spirit of the invention.

Inasmuch as the form of each projection in the plate is determined bythe structureof the mouth lagainst which it is adapted to fit, it isapparent that the projections need not be evenly distributed along theAbase of the cham- 95 ber 14 but may be placed` as needed for the Thetips ofthe projections support the tissue and prevent the same frombeing drawn into the lower portion of the chamber-14. Thisconstrue-"1100 each particular projection tion also by holding thetissue from the base of the chamber enables the distribution of negativepressure or holding effort to uniformly affect the under surface of thesamey extends from the inner front portion of the plate to take aposition within the chamber 14, the same assisting and acting in asimilar manner as the proj ections 15 to consequently give an additionalmeasure of support to prevent the shifting of the plate in the mouth.The portion ofv the plate below the tip surfaces of the projections 15forms a suction chamber in which a negative pressure can be created aswill hereinafter be more particularly described. Y

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 5, the plate is provided withsuitablevertical openings or passageways 18 and 19 extending fromthebase 13 or lower portion of the suction chamber `and makinglcommunication with the corresponding horizontally located openings orcavities 20 and 21 in two oppositely disposed teeth of the denture.Inasmuch as the respective teeth containing this construction aresubstantially identical but one of the same will be described indet-ail. The larger of the artificial teeth, preferably the molars, areutilized so that a sizable opening may b-e formed therein withoutweakening the structure.

As clearly indicated in Fig. 5 the horizontal opening 21 extends fromthe inner side of the tooth so that a suction created by the wearer candirectly control a device situated therein. The device illustrated formsa controlling mechanism'or one way valvular element for normally closingcommunication between the passage 18 and opening 21 and permit the sameon the creation of a vacuum in the mouth of the wearer to open the valveso that a partial vacuum can be created in the suction chamber of theldenture. 'This valvular construction is preferably formed by a hollowcylindrical tubing 22 of anV elastic substance such as rubber. Theexposed end ortion of the tubing 22 which is substantially flush withthe surface of the teeth is provided with an integral cap or head 23having acentral pin hole opening therein as illustrated at 24. Thepurpose of the cap on the tubing is to prevent particles of food takingposition within the opening in the tooth.

In positioning the plate the wearer produces a partial vacuum or suctionwhich initially draws the air from the central portion of the tubing 22through the pin hole opening 24C and causes the same to contractcircumferentially and take the position shown by the dotted lines inFig. 5. This diber, whereby,

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rectly opens communication rbetween the mouth and suction chamber aroundthe outer edge or periphery of the tubular member 22 as shown at 25.When the desired negative pressure or holding effort is obtained in thesuction chamber the tubing 22 returns to its normal position against thepassageway 18 by the release of the pressure in the mouth, andmaintainsthis effort within the suc-tion chamber as long as desired.

VWhile the plate illustrated in the drawing and herein described isadapted for use in the upper portion of the mouth obviously largepartial plates or plates fitting the lower portion of the mouth can beconstructed fulfilling the inventive concepts described herein withoutdeparting from the nature and spirit of the invention.

l claim as my invention:`

1. In a dental plate, a suction chamber containing tissue supportingprojections located, therein, and provided with a vertical airpassagewayextending from the base of the suction chamber horizontalcavity in one of the teeth of the denture, a circumferentiallycontractable valvular element situated within the horizontal'cavity andincluding a pin-hole opening at its exposed surface to facilitatetheinitial withdrawal of air from the interior of the valvular element,whereby, the withdrawal of air from the suction chamber around theperiphery of the valvular element is facilitated upon the creation of apartial vacuum in the mouth.

2. In a dental plate, a suction chamber having a plurality of tissuesupporting projections located, therein, and provided with an airpassageway extending of the suction chamber to communicate with a cavityin one of the teeth of the denture, a circumferentially contractabletubular "member situated within the cavity andv including a pin-holeopening at its exposed surface to facilitate the initial withdrawal ofair from the interior of the tubular member, whereby, the withdrawal ofair from the suction chamber aro-und the periphery of the tube isfacilitated upon the creation of a par-N115 tial vacuum in the mouth.

3. ln a dental plate, a suction chamber having a plurality of tissuesupporting projections located, therein, andprovidedwithan airpassageway extending from the base of thev suction chamber tocommunicate with a horizontal cavity in one of the teeth of the denture,a circumferentially contractable tubular member situated within thecavity and including a pin-hole opening at its exposed` surface tofacilitate the initial withdrawal of air from the interior of thetubular memthe withdrawal of air from the suction chamber around theperiphery of the tube is of a partial vacuum in the mouth, said tubutocommunicate with aY facilitated upon the creation` entially tooth.

4:. In a dental plate, a, suction chamber containing tissue supportingVprojections located therein, and provided with a vertical air passagewayextending from the base of the suction chamber to communicate with ahorizontal cavity in one of the teeth of the denture, acircumferentially contractable valvular element situated within thehorizontal cavity and including a pin-hole opening at its exposedsurface to facilitate the initial Withdrawal of air from the interior ofthe valvular element, whereby, the withdrawal of air from the suctionchamber around the periphery of the valvular element is facilitated uponthe creation of a partial vacuum in the mouth, said valvular elementhaving an end portion substantially closing the cavity at the surface ofthe tooth.

5. In a dental plate having a suction chamber for holding the same inposition in the mouth, one `or more air passageways extending from thelower portion of the suction chamber to communicate with a cavitylocated in or more teeth of the denture, each cav-Q ity containing acircumferentially contractable tubular member, therein, having an endclosing portion substantially ush with the surface of the tooth, saidend portion having a pin-hole opening to facilitate the initialwithdrawal of air from the interior of the tube, whereby, the withdrawalof air from the suction chamber around the periphery of the tubularmember is facilitated upon the creation of a partial vacuum in themouth.

6. In a dental plate having a suction cha-mber for holding the same inposition in the mouth, one or more air passageways extending from thelower portion ofthe suction chamber to communicate with a. horizontalcavity located in one or more teeth of the denture, each cavitycontaining a circumfercontractable valvular element, therein, having anend closing portion substantially flush with the surface of the tooth,said end portion having a pin-hole opening to facilitate the initialwithdrawal of air from the interior of the valvular element, whereby,the withdrawal of air from the suction chamber around the periphery ofthe valvular element is facilitated upon the creation of a partialvacuum in the mouth.

7. In a dental plate having a suction chamber for holding the same inposition in the mouth, an air passageway from said suction chambercommunicating with a cavity in one of the teeth of the denture, a.contractable valvular element, located in said cavity, the periphery ofwhich controls communication between the suction chamber and mouth, andmeans for initially withdrawing the air from the interior of thevalvular element to facilitate its operation upon the creation of apartial vacuum in the mouth.

8. In a dental ber for holding the same in position in the mouth, an airpassageway from said suction chamber communicating with a cavity in oneof the teeth of the denture, a contractable tubular member, located insaid cavity, the periphery of which controls communication between thesuction chamber and mouth, said tubular member having an end portionsubstantially closing the cavity at the surface of the tooth, and meansfor initially withdrawing the air from the interior of the tubularmember to facilitate its operation upon the creation of a partial vacuumin the mouth. n

Signed by me this 6th day of J anuary,1931.

LUIS M. VALBUENA.

plate having a suction cham-

